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How to Determine if You Should Lease or Buy Business Equipment

To lease . . . or not to lease. That’s an issue business owners often face. If you are weighing the pros and cons of leasing versus buying, here are some things to keep in mind.

Cost

Evaluating costs is more complicated than comparing the price of leasing a piece of equipment versus its purchase price. You will also want to consider these issues:

How soon will the equipment need to be upgraded or replaced? Highly technical or specialized equipment becomes obsolete quickly and may be a good candidate for leasing.

How will you arrange for service and repair? Leasing arrangements often include maintenance on the equipment. If you’re thinking of buying, research the equipment’s repair history as well as the cost and availability of reliable service.

How long will you need the equipment? If your use will be short term, then leasing may be the better option.

Can you save money by buying or leasing equipment? If — and when — cash savings will be realized is an important factor for you to weigh.

Do you have the cash available to purchase the equipment? If you use cash for a down payment, you may have less cash for operating and other business expenses.

How will financing your equipment purchases affect your ability to get credit for other things? If you anticipate having future credit needs, you may want to avoid adding equipment loans to your current debt load.

Taxes

If you own equipment used in a trade or business, you will generally be entitled to a depreciation tax deduction (and/or a first-year write-off under Code Section 179). When you lease equipment, your payments are generally tax deductible, although certain types of leases are treated as conditional sales contracts instead of “true leases.”

If you’re weighing leasing versus buying, give us a call. We can help you look at how the various options will play out.

To learn more about the advantages and disavantages of buying or leasing office equipment, give us a call today. Our trained staff of professionals are always available to answer any questions you may have.

Discover how the business and financial consulting services from Round Rock, TX CPA, Richard A. Crow and Associates can increase revenues and improve performance for your business. Request a consultation online or call us now at 512-255-7110.